Wikimedia Commons
Fabaceae
Butterfly Pea
Clitoria ternatea
Transformation and beauty.
- Family
- Fabaceae
- Genus
- Clitoria
- Native to
- Southeast Asia, Tropical Asia
- Bloom season
- Summer, Fall
- Type
- perennial vine
- Height
- 6-10 ft
- Sunlight
- full sun
- Soil
- well-drained, sandy to loamy
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- 10-12
- Lifespan
- perennial
Did you know
- The vivid blue flowers are used to make a natural food dye that turns purple when acid like lemon juice is added.
- Butterfly pea tea is a popular drink in Southeast Asia that dramatically changes color when citrus is squeezed into it.
- The blue pigment comes from anthocyanins called ternatins, which are being researched as natural food colorings.
- In Ayurvedic medicine, the plant has been used for centuries as a brain tonic and memory enhancer.
- The flowers are used to color rice blue in traditional Malaysian and Thai dishes like nasi kerabu.
Color meanings
0
intelligence
1
serenity
2
transformation